Public Statements

Letter to President Obama

Letter

On Friday, April 20, Senators Patty Murray and Richard Burr and Congressmen Jeff Miller and Bob Filner, Chairmen and Ranking Members of the Veterans' Affairs Committees in the Senate and House, sent a letter to President Obama asking for his assistance in expediting health care for the many veterans and family members who are sick as a result of exposure to well-water contaminated by human carcinogens at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

VA Secretary Shinseki indicated in a letter to Congressman Miller that policy decisions must be postponed until more scientific evidence is revealed linking water contamination at Camp Lejeune to illness. The Chairmen and Ranking Members believe that there is already sufficient evidence to give veterans and family members the benefit of the doubt, including the EPA's acknowledgement that trichloroethylene (TCE), a chemical which contaminated the water supply system at Camp Lejeune, is directly linked to cancer.

Senators Murray and Burr and Congressmen Miller and Filner will continue their bipartisan efforts to advance legislation to provide health care services to the veterans and family members who have suffered health consequences due to no fault of their own. They hope to expedite these efforts, however, by working with the Administration to identify existing funds and resources that may be reallocated to pay for the cost.

The Honorable Barack ObamaPresident ofthe United StatesThe White House

Dear Mr. President:

As the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the Veterans' Affairs Committees in the House andSenate, we are now engaged in an effort to advance legislation authorizing health care forveterans and family members who are ill as result of being exposed to contaminated drinkingwater at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune from approximately 1957 to 1987. To date, thateffort has been slowed by the difficulty of identifying existing resources that could be better usedon health care services for those affected by possibly the worst example of water contaminationin our nation's history.

ln your Administration's Fiscal Year 2013 budget request, it was revealed that the Department ofVeterans Affairs (VA) overestimated health care resource requirements. VA has identifiedmultiple areas within existing initiatives to reallocate appropriated funds based on the revisedestimates. We ask that a portion of those fturds, or other funds you can identify which can berepurposed, be reserved to provide care for sick Camp Lejeune veterans and family members.

In a recent letter responding to a similar call from Chairman Miller, VA Secretary Shinsekisuggested that policy decisions affecting those exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeunewere "premature," and that scientific studies expected to be delivered over the next two yearswould provide better guidance. Mr. President, we respectfully disagree. There is enoughscientific evidence already that warrants giving the benefit of the doubt to those who need helpnow.

We will continue our efforts to advance legislation, but we can expedite health care services tosick veterans if we coordinated our efforts. VA has existing resources which could be reservedwithout derailing other initiatives; we will work the legislative process to complement what VAcan do on its own authority. Only by working together, on a bipartisan basis, can we have thebiggest impact on the lives of those who have already waited long enough.

We look forward to your response, and thank you for your commitment to our nation's veterans.